The Bacteriology Core will support research on F. tularensis in mice to develop a vaccine candidate(s) to protect against inhalational tularemia. The work will include the growth under specified conditions to permit antigen extraction of several F. tularensis vaccine candidate antigens. Conditions will be optimized for reproducible aerosol challenge of mice with F. tularensis strains. Protection from inhalational tularemia will be assessed on the basis of survival and quantitative organ cultures. In all studies in which animals are infected with F. tularensis, the animals will be maintained under BSL-3 conditions. Stock specimens of several strains of F. tularensis will be frozen in a secure location in the BSL-3 facility. Additional support includes the growth and preparation of four different killed F. tularensis Schu4 preparations and growth of the F. tularensis live vaccine strain (LVS). This will support a study in which F. tularensis-specific polyclonal antibody expression libraries (PCALS) are produced. Urine and respiratory secretions from infected mice will be used to optimize the development of commercial diagnostic assays by Binax, Inc. After extensive offsite research, development, and the manufacture of a prototype instrument designed to detect the presence of F. tularensis in the air, Radiation Monitoring Devices, Inc. will conduct studies of the device in the BUMC BSL-3 facility with the support of the Bacteriology Core. Boston University Bioinformatics (BUB) will work to identify additional candidate vaccine antigens in F. tularensis and will work with Gen-Probe, Inc. in efforts to design appropriate target sequences for the development of their diagnostic assays.